How to Cut Out Cable Once and For All

With so many entertainment options available, do we still really “need” cable TV? It’s convenient and all, but no one likes paying for the dozens--or even hundreds--of channels they never watch just to get a handful of favorite shows. Most of those favorites can be found elsewhere on a more à la carte basis, but where--and for how much? While we keep wishing for an easy-to-use website (or Apple’s much-anticipated “iTV” television set) to do this legwork for us, for now we’ve got to do it ourselves. Here’s how.

Make a list of your favorite shows. If you use TiVo, these are your Season Passes. We’re nerds, so we did this in Excel (or, uh, Numbers). The following columns are possible sources to get those shows on their own: iTunes Season Pass, Hulu Plus, Netflix, Amazon Instant, network websites or apps, and so on. Under those columns is where you’ll list the price. If a show is available on more than one source, you decide whether convenience trumps price. Finally, highlight and tally up the prices for the shows you can’t live without, and compare that to your cable bill. Keep in mind that iTunes and Amazon will sell you entire seasons, which last longer than a month, while Netflix and Hulu Plus are monthly subscriptions, and Netflix is often a season behind. Then just get ready to do a lot of clicking around to see what’s out there. It’s tedious work, but if you decide to take the plunge and cut the cable, you could save a load of cash each month.

Comments

Foreign TV shows/stations normally unavailable in the US (and elsewhere) can often be accessed using a VPN service (Google "VPN Reviews" for lists of such services along with reviews"). Some of these TV stations have subtitle options during playback. Some even offer somewhat minimimized screen versions with a person doing sign language in the remaining area of the frame - the sign language used, however, will probably not be American Sign Language.

We did it. My wife was not keen on the idea at first, but we found the majority of stuff we watch was just filler. We watch just as much TV as we did before, at less than half the cost, and our decisions on what to watch are now "intentional". $$ for Cable internet, and we stream Hulu. Also have a netflix (DVD's only) subscription, and our local channels (Digital Antenna) come in pretty well.

I'm 31, a guy, pretty techy, and just found out I'm in love with the Create channel and "Lidia's Itally in America". That woman is fantastic.

I doubt this article was written with ADA consdierations in mind - but it sounds like captioning is a significant issue for some. We don't use it, and found out that it was relatively easy to live with the change in programming.

We live in British Columbia but my wife follows the Twins. The MLB.com site and Apps (iOS and OS-X) apps seem to do everything she wants. Even when they are blacked out (Like when they are playing Toronto or Seattle) on TV she seems to be able to get what she wants. Sometimes it's radio rather than video but she catches nearly every game. I'm not an MLB fan so YMMV.

Try using a VPN service (Google "VPN reviews") and look for one with multiple US and/or canadianlocations to choose from. Then you will be able to watch blacked out games by using a VPN in a non-blacked out location.

My kids and I are not hearing impaired. However, we enjoy watching TV/movies with the captioning always on. We're not constantly saying, "What did he/she say?" It's there on the screen. Sometimes tho, the captioning is either too slow or too fast compared to the voice that's on.

I absolutely love having my TiVo because even with captions I often find that I can't quite discern what someone is saying. Making matters worse, modern TV producers often have music that simply overwhelms the dialog at times, making the captions more valuable.

But as someone who requires the captions, since I can't get even close to understanding most programming without them, I can surely sympathize with the issues surrounding them. Watching live programming is the most difficult, since even the best real-time captionists can't keep up entirely. And it never fails that some important graphic in a news or information program will be obscured by a poorly placed caption. It's also quite difficult to "watch" a program and get all the value of a visual medium when you're forced to "read the action" as I am.

First is the fact that there is not a single item on your list that I watch regularly. And much of what I do watch via my TiVo is reruns not likely available from the cited sources.

But the bigger issue is a complete lack of support for those of us with hearing impairments. Assume for a moment that I watched many/all of the programs you list. The network web sites do not caption those programs. I don't know about iTunes, but I suspect they don't either. I already know that Netflix only offers captioning on a small number of their titles, and then only on selected platforms. My TiVo is not one of those platforms, and I didn't purchase a 55-inch HDTV to watch any TV on my iPhone, iPad or MacBook Pro.

Netflix, Hulu and the rest will never get a single penny from me unless and until they offer captioning on all (or very nearly all) titles they offer. Period.